Oneironaut
by Aitri
Summary: His blades break my skin in a nightmare, but when I wake up I'm unharmed. Quentin says that our dreams now are only memories of when he stalked them before. But it takes time to heal. Krueger will be back and I don't think we'll survive this time.
1. Chapter One

**Authors Note** - An oneironaut is a person who explores dream worlds. It comes from the Greek word oneiros (dream) and is basically just lucid dreaming. This first chapter is set directly after ending of the 2010 remake when Nancy and Quentin are at the hospital but the rest of the story will be set two years later. Freddy Krueger still stalks their dreams but for some reason he can't hurt them in real life. It takes time to recover and Nancy believes that some day Krueger will be back, and she and Quentin won't be able to survive him again. I hope you enjoy chapter one. Review, review, review!

**Oneironaut**

Chapter One

_It was undeniable – the silhouette of her nightmare looming only a few feet away. A breath escaped her lips as she tried to warn her mother, but it was only a breath. There were no words spoken. Reality slowed as she watched those blades inch closer and closer to their target, their malicious intent so close to being accomplished. Her mouth opened in a horrified scream, a warning that came too late. There was a squish and a crack as the weapon broke through her mother's skull, a look of instantaneous surprise coming and leaving the woman's face. The steel fingers extended through the eyes and blood cascaded like red ribbons down her mother's face. Shards of glass seemingly halted in mid-air before retreating along with the gloved hand, taking the body with it. They disappeared into the mirror and she was left looking at her own, screaming expression._

_

* * *

_

Soft blue eyes snapped open; something between a scream and a strangled sob tearing its way past the girl's throat. Her body jerked instinctively, weary gasps filling her lungs as her body tried to keep up with the frantic pace of her heart. Tears fell swiftly but silently down her already streaked face, her breaths turning into sobs at the realization that what had just transpired was only a dream. She looked around the room frantically, trying desperately to recall where she was and what had happened. Her fingers tightened around the chair's armrests, nails digging into the wood in her distraught panic. There were people in the room but her vision was still blurry from waking and she couldn't see any faces. A hand descended on her shoulder and she yelped.

"Nancy!" A familiar tone barked. The girl's vision cleared and she turned her gaze upwards to see the exact face she had just been dreaming of – looking down at her in concern.

"… Mom?" The woman stared back at her daughter with confusion and worry, obviously disconcerted about the horrified look on her daughter's face.

"What's wrong, hon'?" She asked in a soft voice, moving her hand from Nancy's shoulder to run her fingers through the girl's dark hair. Nancy turned her gaze from her mother's, taking in the room's appearance and the people staring at her with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.

"Where-… What… Where-?"

"You're at the hospital, Nancy. They found you and your friend at the preschool and brought you both here but you refused treatment beyond your arm wounds. Apparently you just fell asleep in the waiting room. I've been here for five hours, waiting for you to wake up." Gwen brushed back a strand of hair away from her daughter's face. "Are you alright?" Nancy looked at her mother with obvious discomfort but forced herself to say something.

"Just-… Just a bad dream, mom. I'm fine." She glanced around the room again before turning her gaze to her feet, noting that the toes of her boots were stained red from someone's blood – she couldn't remember whose. She could feel her mom hovering above her and was tempted to just fall asleep again but something was nagging at the back of her mind. There was something she needed to remember.

_'You and a friend? …' _Didn't she go alone? Here eyes went down to her chest to glimpse a small array of little medallions hanging from her neck, scintillating gently in the artificial light. Her hand went up to them but before she touched the necklace an abrupt picture assaulted her mind - a dark room invaded by a flashlight and a kerosene lamp. Hastily scratched pictures of creatures out of a child's imagination marring the walls. A chair in the corner next to a decrepit bed, two bodies occupying both of them. Two faces. Her own…

And Quentin's.

She had stepped in a puddle of his and Freddy's blood when they were leaving the preschool, staining her boots. Those were the red blotches. How could she have forgotten him? A gasp tore from her throat before she turned to her mother, unable to stop the frenzied exclamation from slipping past her lips.

"What happened to Quentin? Is he okay?" Her mother, startled from the sudden and panicked question, stayed silent with her eyes wide. A shade of sympathy shrouded her countenance and never before had Nancy felt her stomach drop as far as it did at that moment.

"Oh, Nancy." Gwen paused. The pit in Nancy's stomach worsened. Her mouth was dry and her throat felt like cotton. Her chest was tight and she found herself unable to let out a breath, her fingers tightening even more around the armrests of her chair.

'_No…'_

"He's in the ICU, but I haven't heard much." The twist in the girl's stomach lessened but still remained. She exhaled.

"I want to see him." She whispered before compulsively wiping away the tear-stains from her cheeks. "Please. I need to see him." The last sentence hardly came out at all – a quiet plead weighted down by her stress. No matter how hard she tried the tears kept coming back to her eyes, giving her an even more pitiful appearance but possibly making her mother a little more susceptible. Gwen bit her lip thoughtfully, running her hand over Nancy's head while pondering on whether or not her daughter was ready to face what had happened.

"Nancy… I don't think you can right now."

"Please, mom." She begged.

"You look thirsty, hon'. I'll go get you some water." The woman was gone before Nancy could protest, leaving the teen frustrated and alone with her thoughts.

'_Freddy's dead… The dream means nothing… … Fred Kruger is dead.' _She repeated the phrase again and again in her mind until she actually began to believe it again, blaming her recent dream only as a reaction to what she had been put through. She absently fingered the necklace, constantly glancing towards the doors leading into the ICU. She needed to see him, why couldn't her mom understand that? Quentin was her safety, the only thing that made sense anymore. She didn't connect with a lot of people, tending to avoid other teenagers like they were a plague. Quentin was different, though. They went through hell together and he was the one who took the brunt of the danger. He was real. He connected with her. He understood her.

He loved her.

"Nancy Holbrook?" Nancy jumped slightly at the abrupt voice but recovered quickly. She looked up to see a nurse staring back at her with timorous eyes, wringing her hands uncomfortably and shuffling her feet.

"Yes?" The teen replied hesitantly.

"There's a man… Uh, Alan Smith, who is asking for you." The nurse stammered, motioning with her hand towards the ICU doors. "I can take you if you want."

'_Alan?'_ Nancy pushed herself onto her feet wearily, nodding with a quick "Yes" before following the shy nurse out of the waiting room and into the intensive care unit.

'_Mom can just wait until I come back'_

The scent of death was overwhelming; a putrid odor faintly concealed by a sweet mixture of decay, blood-soaked bandages, and antiseptic. It infected her nostrils, permeating her mind and making her uneasy. She moved awkwardly while trying her best to ignore the motions out of the corner of her eyes, keeping her gaze focused on the nurse's back or her own feet. The faintest of bloodstains were spattered across the floor, stains that even bleach couldn't conquer. She turned her eyes away from them only to let her gaze fall upon the bustling doctors, interns, and nurses going about their duties – each and every one with stoic expressions. She couldn't blame them, though. They dealt with death every day and for her it was even hard to think about. Those moments when she held Quentin in her arms, waiting for the ambulance while praying that he could just hold on a little longer. Those moments were some of the hardest she had to endure in her life. The thought that she could lose the only person who accepted her was horrifying. Fred Krueger had brought them together, and he had come so close to tearing them apart.

She couldn't handle death.

"Right in here." The nurse slid open a glass door and gestured for Nancy to go inside. The girl muttered a thanks before stepping into the cold room, the door closing quickly behind her. Alan Smith sat patiently in a chair next to the bed, his steely blue orbs fixed on her with unreadable emotion. She couldn't help but shiver underneath his gaze, even though he was the person who had gotten her into the ICU in the first place. She turned her eyes away from him, her attention going to Quentin; almost as pale as the white sheets he lay against. His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. There was a tube down his throat and dark bruises marring his face; harsh reminders of what he had done for her.

'_I'm so sorry.' _She stepped closer, switching her attention back to Alan. He was still looking at her with the same, judgmental stare, his mouth set in an emotionless line. Nancy crossed her arms in an attempt to keep her torso warm, shifting her gaze from the floor back to the older Smith continuously.

"Thank you… For getting me here." She started, her voice soft and afraid. "I'm really sorry about what happened… We-" The older man raised a hand and she quieted instantly.

"Don't apologize. Quentin made his own choice and I guess you must mean a lot to him if he would put himself through this."

'_Neither of us had a choice…'_ She didn't say it – but it haunted her mind.

"But… Freddy-"

"No… Fred Krueger did not do this." He stood up abruptly, making Nancy flinch. Walking close to her he let his hands clamp down on her shoulders, hard enough to make a point but gently enough to not cause her any pain. His voice softened but stayed at a tone that was to be taken seriously. "No one will believe you. Hell, it was even hard for me to believe my own son when he told me about his dreams… Your allegations are irrational and borderline psychotic. People already suspect that it was you who attacked Quentin... You have to lie – tell people that it was just some nut living at the abandoned preschool." He sighed, drawing his hands away from her shoulders before pinching the bridge of his nose. A few seconds passed before he spoke again. "I'm sorry, Nancy… But you can't tell the truth…"

"I know."

"I'll go talk to your mother." He took a step towards the door before pausing and turning back to her, his eyes flickering over to the bed. "You can stay with him as long as you'd like."

"Thank you." He nodded and exited the room. She was left standing uncomfortably in the frigid area, taking in the tubes and wires that were connected to Quentin. With every gentle inhale and exhale of artificial respiration she felt just a little more guilt – guilt because she believed that he was here because of her. That he couldn't breathe on his own because of her. That everything that had happened was because of her.

'_We didn't have a choice. Stop blaming yourself.' _She breathed out before moving forward, dragging the only chair in the room closer to the bed and sitting down slowly. She leaned forward and extended her arm to grasp his limp hand. Her fingers entwined themselves in his and she squeezed gently as a small gesture of affection. Freddy Krueger was dead. They didn't have to be afraid anymore.

"Hey, Quentin." She mumbled, rubbing her thumb over the cold skin of his hand.

She couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming

* * *

_Silver light bled from the broken windows; slipping through every crack in the brick walls and patched roof to spatter across the littered ground. The stone pillars were cold and uninviting but he found himself sitting at the foot of one despite. Blue-stained silver stared vacantly into the dim grayness of a dream; slow breaths slipping past numb lips. Why was he here? … He couldn't remember. Minutes seemed like hours as he passed them in silence, unable to explain the sense of familiarity burdening his mind._

"_Hello, Quentin." The voice could hardly be recognized as human – a horrid, grating sound. When he looked up he regretted it, staring straight up into the eyes of a nightmare. He stood up to run but was pinned to the pillar before he could, forced to look Krueger in the face; that melted face. Broken gasps tore past his throat as he grappled helplessly with the gloved hand pinning him to the frigid stone. "You took little Nancy away from me." The hand tightened around his throat, the blades slightly cutting into the skin of his neck. His vision was beginning to spot. Freddy was supposed to be dead.  
_

"_You-"_

"_Shut up, you little fuck." The nightmare winced, bringing his separate hand up to his own neck. Dark blood seeped between his fingers, dripping over his hand to dot the concrete floor. How was he bleeding? The nightmare dropped Quentin to the ground, more blood spurting from the widening gash in his charred throat. Something between a growl and a gurgle tore from his mouth before he raised his claws. The wrist rotated with a sickening crunch before falling from the rest of the arm. The blade on the index finger sliced into Quentin's palm, making the teen yelp suddenly._

_Krueger dissolved.  
_

* * *

Nancy slept softly next to her love, her fingers still entwined in his. There was no blood on her palm. There was no cut on his. The spot on his neck where four thin, red lines should have been was unmarred.

It had only been in his dream.


	2. Chapter Two

**Authors Note** – Thanks to those of you who reviewed chapter one! I hope to hear from more of you with this chapter. So click that beautiful review button and let me know what you think! :) (Just to make sure no one is confused, the first six sentences in italics is a conversation Nancy and Quentin had that Quentin is mulling over at his work.)

**Oneironaut **

Chapter Two

The coffeehouse was almost empty. Small, abstract lights dangled from the ceiling to illuminate the few people that remained in the later hours, most of them staring vacantly at bright laptop screens with weary expressions. Placid music streamed throughout the small building like water, flowing along with the rhythm of rain gently tapping against the steel roof and the drumming of his fingers against the countertop. His icy blue eyes roamed over each table, taking in the few people that still lingered, his feet bouncing impatiently against the tile floor while his gaze constantly flickered over to the clock hanging crookedly on the pastel wall. The sky outside was beginning to darken but the occasional flash of lighting kept the clouds alive. The rumble of thunder rolled over East Liverpool like a tidal wave. He smiled slightly but the look in his eyes still retained a weary sadness. They were the only things that couldn't be covered by his forced façade.

_'I had a dream last night.'_

_ 'About what?'_

The last nine minutes of his shift passed in complete silence; no new customers, none of the remaining desiring anything more than what they had already ordered. He helped himself to a coffee before wiping down some of the equipment quietly, ignoring the fact that his coworker had been staring at him for the past four minutes. His pale blue eyes closed and he listened to the soothing music spilling into the coffeehouse, one hand going up to absently scratch at his shoulder where the faintest beginnings of a scar could be felt beneath the thin fabric of his shirt; four cruel lines extending across his chest. He found no peace in the music and returned to mindlessly wiping down counters. The rain outside worsened.

_'You know what I dreamt about, Quentin.'_

_ 'I'm not ready to admit it.'_

The phone in his jeans pocket buzzed, signifying the end of his shift. He retrieved the small object and turned off the alarm with relief, gathering up his things before trudging towards the pristine glass doors of the coffeehouse. A few people glanced up to watch him leave but most remained mesmerized by their glowing computer screens.

"See you tomorrow, Perry." His coworker grunted in response and he accepted the small gesture, pulling up the hood of his sweater before leaving the small business. The deluge outside poured down around the building but he sighed and jogged into it despite, regretting not parking closer. By the time he was inside the Jeep his hair was dripping and his clothes were completely drenched. The only thing that managed to stay dry were the contents of his bag.

_'I dreamt that Freddy sliced into my shoulder.'_

_ 'Your shoulder's fine. It was only a dream.'_

A flash of lightning illuminated the clouds as he rummaged through the back of the Jeep, searching for any dry clothes in the clutter that was strewn around in the car. He tended to just throw things back there and not acknowledge them until he needed to carry more than one passenger. It was a bad habit Nancy constantly harassed him about. His eyes went to the floor to rest upon a brown and tan striped sweatshirt. Clean and dry. He snatched it and quickly changed, relieved to be in something that wasn't wet. His cell phone began to ring and he leaned back into the driver's seat, pulling the phone from his bag and flipping it open without a second thought.

"Hello?"

"… _Hey Quentin, it's Nancy."_ Her voice was soft, a little tired.

"Hey Nancy. You alright?"

"_Yeah... Just tired."_ She paused for a few beats. _"Are you off of work?"_

"My shift just ended… Why?"

Silence for a few seconds then – _"I was wondering if I could stay the night at your apartment… They found mold at my dorm room so my roommate and I have to stay somewhere else." _Quentin thoughtfully fingered the keys in the ignition, his other hand tapping gently against the phone.

"Sure, Nanc'. Dustin and Todd are already at the apartment so they can let you in… … I'll be home in about twenty minutes."

"_Thank you."_

"No problem."

"_Bye…"_ She hung up before he had a chance to say it back. He snapped the cell phone shut and let out a sigh, running a hand through his wet hair. She had been growing more and more distant ever since they moved here. Even to him. His fingers turned the key in the ignition and he started the short drive back to his apartment.

* * *

_Rust and blood painted the rotting walls in a gruesome display of crimson. The floor was replaced by an iron mesh underneath which ran a river of dark liquid that could only be assumed as blood. Every movement caused the mesh to groan and the walls to drip, black oozing from unknown pores to dribble down and join the steady stream. She stood in the middle of the room, facing a long and ominous hallway. Every breath came out as a morphed whimper, her eyes unwilling to close. Something caused the floor to shake, something coming down the long hall. The screech of metal against metal made her yelp and back up, only to realize that another hallway had formed behind her where the sound also echoed. The river beneath the floor began to pick up pace, flecks of red flying up to dot her bare feet.  
_

"_I want to wake up…" She muttered. _

_ A laugh. _

_ She knew that laugh. _

_ Never had her legs carried her so fast. She darted down a newly formed hall, footsteps following right behind her. Scattered lamps shone down on her as she ran and she knew that if she looked back they would shine down on his face too. The hall turned and she turned with it, her shoulder brushing against the wall to come away sticky with blood and what seemed like pus. The iron mesh began to widen the further down she ran, morphing into more of a rusted chain-link floor that was even more difficult to keep her footing on. The end of the hallway came all too soon and she found herself denying that there was no escape, her hands roaming the filthy wall for any type of entry or doorknob. She found none. The widened mesh underneath split suddenly and she collapsed through the floor, her fingers barely grabbing onto the steel before she could be completely submerged in the lurid river of blood. The taste of iron filled her mouth and she felt her stomach twist unpleasantly. Her eyes flickered up and a gasp slipped past her lips. _

"_Hello, little Nancy." The nightmare's blades settled down on her hand, slicing into her fingers and forcing her to let go. Everything turned red. _

* * *

Quentin was there when she woke up this time. Her eyes opened slowly, her hand curling underneath the pillow as she stared into orbs the same color as her own. Todd and Dustin had let her into the apartment without any questions and she had disappeared into Quentin's room instantly. She must have fallen asleep waiting for him. The roar of thunder almost shook the building, lightning burning up the clouds outside in a powerful display of nature just outside the window. She could hardly see his face but she feel his hand running through her hair gently, just his presence being a comfort after her nightmare. Her legs stretched out as she yawned, her arm coming out from under the pillow to stretch as well. She felt no blood on her hand from where Freddy had cut it.

"You okay?" He asked quietly. Nancy propped herself up on an elbow, swiping away the long tangles of hair from her face. Her hand was shaking.

"Sorry… " She started. "I came in here to wait for you… Must've fallen asleep."

"It's fine, Nancy. You feeling alright?" She stayed silent for a few seconds, breathing softly as she stared at his concerned face, lit only by the storm outside.

"I was dreaming." The sentence was hardly audible. Even though Quentin was the only person she trusted she still found it difficult to talk to him about her continuous dreams. Even if he still had them too. She swung her legs over the bed, keeping her eyes on his.

"About Freddy?" She nodded. "Did he hurt you?" Another nod. "Where?" Nancy brought her hand from her lap, extending it to him. It was still shaking.

"He cut my fingers."

"There's nothing there."

"I know that, Quentin." She snapped. "I know that they're only dreams but that doesn't it can't still feel so fucking real." She drew her hand back, hastily wiping away unshed tears. Quentin seemed a little unsettled but remained silent, standing from his position on the floor and sitting down next to her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively and eventually she leaned into him. Her gaze went to his eyes and she exhaled, her hand going to find his. He entwined his fingers in hers, rubbing a thumb over the skin. She was reminded of when she had done the same thing for him.

"… He can't hurt you, Nancy. Krueger is dead."

"I know…" She leaned her head into the crook of his neck, inhaling the scent of coffee beans. "… But I'm still scared." They stayed like this for what seemed forever, both of them watching the storm outside with tired eyes. They had moved to East Liverpool to get away from their nightmares. Freddy had followed them despite, entering their dreams almost every single night. Even though he couldn't harm them it felt like he was slowly eating away at their sanity. Fred Krueger was dead. But they still dreamt about him.

"Quentin? …"

"Yeah?"

"… There's no mold at my dorm." She felt him shift, his hand clasping tighter around hers.

"I know." Her lips twitched upwards in a weary smile.

"Thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem, Nancy." They were silent. The clock on the nightstand read 8:19 P.M. By the time she fell asleep again it read 11:48. Rain still drummed rhythmically against the window but the thunderstorm had passed. Quentin gently slipped his arm away from Nancy, laying her down on the bed before going to closet for something to sleep on. He pulled out a few blankets, the first he draped over the sleeping girl and the second he used as his own mattress on the floor, staring up at the roof through the dark. His eyes slowly closed.

At 2:30 A.M both of them were instantly awakened by an earsplitting scream.


	3. Chapter Three

**Authors Note** – My sister painted Freddy Krueger on my leg a few days ago. He came out a little chubby but it looked amazing and it made my day. Anyway, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I'm pretty sure Missouri is swallowing my creative energy. Be kind and leave a review on your way out!

**Oneironaut **

Chapter Three

How he loved to toy with their fragile minds; watch their horrified features as they took in the devastation that was he. There was a curiosity over whether or not he had lost his touch over the years but as he crept closer to his newest victim and dragged his blades over the steel pipes he knew that nothing could take this away from him. He would have power over their dreams again. Sparks lit up his desecrated face, illuminating every horrible crevice where fire had hollowed out his flesh. He listened to the quick breaths of his captive and relished in the pounding of its heart throughout the emptiness of an unbreakable dream. Helpless. They were all helpless when they slept. He would make sure of it. His gloved hand raised he let loose a malevolent chuckle and swung down, tearing through the back of his newest victim and reveling in the agonized scream that tore from its throat; the same scream that woke both Nancy and Quentin. The line between dreams and reality was finally in his control again.

Freddy Krueger was back.

* * *

Simultaneously jerking from serenity, Nancy froze while Quentin reacted instantaneously. He clambered to his feet and dashed out of the room before she could protest him leaving, darting to the source of the scream with morbid expectations already brooding in his mind. Another yell sounded from behind a closed door – Todd's room – and Quentin was next to it instantly, trying the handle with failed results. He slammed on it with his fist, wincing as another cry came from the room.

"Todd!" He shouted, striking the wood again. Another presence was made known to him and he turned to see Nancy standing on tremulous legs at the threshold of his own room, her eyes wide and her fingers limply clutching a blanket around her shoulders. She mouthed a single word.

'Freddy'

"It's not him, Nancy." He growled, slamming his hand against the door once more. "Todd!" He resorted to using his shoulder, throwing himself against the door to try and bust it open. Tears began to form in Nancy's eyes as she watched him hurl his body against the wood, her legs shaking uncontrollably as she pictured the devastation that would meet them once the door came open. She swayed slightly before her legs failed and she collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

"He's back. He's back. He's back." Like some sort of sick mantra she repeated the two words over and over again, her hands going up to cover her ears from the sound of another agonized scream. She suddenly found her fingers wrapping around the little medallions hanging from her neck, the cool feel of the metal trinkets providing a little comfort to her distressed mind as she began to rock back and forth.

"Todd! ... Open the fucking door!" The fifth time Quentin's shoulder connected with the wood a wet pop sounded. He let out a surprised yelp and backed away, gritting his teeth at the fresh pain in his arm and the frustration of not being able to help someone who needed it. Another scream resonated through the area followed closely by a strangled gurgle and he realized that he couldn't stop. He had to get into that room. A surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins as he lifted his leg and slammed his foot into the space on the door just below the handle, the wood breaking instantly underneath his force. There was a loud crack and it swung open, revealing a dark and quiet room he was hesitant to enter. His eyes went to Nancy; still rocking back and forth with both hands clasped over the necklace he had given her so long ago. Her eyelids were squeezed shut and tears stained her pale cheeks. She was terrified. She didn't have to see this.

"Nancy..." No response. "Nancy." He tried again, slightly louder. Soft blue flickered from under her dark eyelashes as she gradually opened her eyes, quieting instantly and stilling her rocking. Her gaze went up to him. "Go back into my room and wait for me there." She blinked and nodded mutely but her legs felt numb and she knew that it would be hard for her to stand. After a few failed (somewhat pathetic) attempts Quentin came over and gently helped her to her feet, leading her back into his room with slow steps while she leaned most of her weight on his throbbing shoulder.

"Todd's dead." She mumbled before sliding from his arm onto the bed. Quentin didn't comment on her statement. He brushed the hair from her face and told her to stay put, pretending that he hadn't heard her. He left the room and trudged over to the result of his efforts to face an inevitable truth. Placing a foot into the room he whispered Todd's name despite in the back of his mind he knew that there would be no response. His fingers scrabbled over the wall, searching for a light switch while something warm and wet dribbled around his bare feet; pooling around his toes every time he put pressure. His hand brushed over the small plastic piece protruding from the wall but he hesitated in turning it on, wondering for just a moment if what was left in the dark was better if it stayed there. But it was only a moment and he flicked the switch upwards, eyes adjusting to the light before resting upon another one of Krueger's 'masterpieces.' His stomach lurched.

Like some macabre piece of art Todd hung suspended from the ceiling fan by a thin wire wrapped around his neck, every space of his skin and clothes tainted crimson by the blood that continued to drip from his mouth, neck, eyes, and the spaces were his ears should have been. His lips had been torn from his face; his eyes punctured but still uselessly rolling around in their sockets and his ears cut from his head and nowhere to be found. The wire was wrapped around a preexisting cut in his neck, the cause for all the blood that coated his body and pooled around Quentin's feet. The college teen gagged, turning away from the lurid sight to empty the contents of his stomach as the scent of iron permeated every corner of his conscious He retched violently; one hand holding his stomach while the other was pressed against the wall for balance despite the intense pain that radiated from his battered shoulder Once finished he breathed in heavily, wincing at the taste of bile in his mouth. His gaze went to what was left of Todd and a sense of fear overcame him.

_'Freddy killed him.'_ Another wave of nausea passed through him but he managed to keep his stomach this time, stumbling out from the room to breathe in air that wasn't completely polluted by blood. He closed his eyes and eventually found himself on his knees, running a hand through his hair as his breathing escalated to the point of hyperventilation. Memories from two years ago replayed behind his eyes. _'Freddy killed him... He's gonna kill us too... ... Shit shit shit.' _That hopelessness of not being able to wake up - he couldn't go through that again. He couldn't let Nancy go through it again. _'Has he been toying with us all this time?' _Something brushed against his back and he jumped, turning his head to see Nancy stooping over him with her hand just between his shoulder blades.

"We need to leave… … We have to go." She mumbled, compulsively wiping her eyes. "I don't want to stay here… Please…." She kneeled next to him and leaned into his side, her face burying itself in his neck as she cried silently. She seemed so small when she was scared. Quentin stayed quiet, rubbing at his throbbing shoulder and wincing at the deformity that could be felt underneath his shirt. His limbs were shaking uncontrollably and he could see that Nancy was tremulous too.

"D-... Dustin is going to be back soon... If- if we run... And leave him here." Quentin swallowed, trying desperately to control his stuttering voice. His eyes went to the open room, staring mutely at the corpse that almost seemed to be looking back. Todd was killed by Freddy even though he had nothing to do with the maniac. The son of a bitch just wanted to kill. "They'll think we're the one who murdered him."

"Why?"

"Well saying that he died in his reams isn't a very believable excuse and running doesn't exactly make us look innocent... ... You lied for me, didn't you?" He felt her shift, bringing her eyes to meet his.

"... I don't-... I don't want to go through this again." His arm went around her shoulders. "We can get out of here... Deal with Freddy on our own... Again." She picked at a thread on his sweater, sniffing away her last tears.

"… Why did he wait? ... Why couldn't he hurt you earlier?"

"I don't know…" She mumbled.

"He hasn't been able to touch us for two years and suddenly he's back?" He didn't want to believe it. It was irrational. "It doesn't… It doesn't make sense."

"None of it ever made any sense." She slowly separated from his side, sliding out from under his arm to glance over at the open room. Her eyes rested on the desecrated figure of Todd. She exhaled. "We have to leave."

"Running makes us look guilty." Quentin muttered, placing his head in his hands and running his long fingers through his hair.

"We're going to be suspects no matter what we do. With that screaming I'm positive one of your neighbors has already called the police and if they didn't than Dustin sure as hell will… Please, Quentin… Jesse could do nothing to stop Krueger from killing him while he was in jail. If we run, we have a chance… We can kill him again… "

"And he'll come back again."

"Then we'll kill him over and over." He slipped his face from his hands to look at her, a small smile flickering across his face as he stared into her dark blue eyes.

"I just convinced you Freddy was dead... ... This is so fucking insane." He laughed. Nancy willed her limbs to stop shaking and gradually hauled herself onto her feet, Quentin standing up with her. She wrapped her arms around his frame, pulling him close and holding on to him like he would disappear if she ever let go. He held on to her even tighter with just one arm. "We'll get through this." She was reminded of the night at the preschool as he whispered into her ear. Her fingers bunched themselves into the back of his sweatshirt and they stayed like this for a while - or, at least, until both of them had managed to calm down. Nancy brought her head out from the crook of his neck and pressed her lips against his, letting him response to the kiss with quiet passion. She ignored the taste of bile. Eventually they separated and he pressed something into her palm - the keys to his Jeep.

"Wait for me in the car. I'll only be a few minutes." She nodded hesitantly, letting him kiss her one more time before she left the apartment, leaning against the door once it closed and letting out a sigh.

_'Up shit creek without a fucking paddle.' _She ran a hand through her messy, dark hair then walked down the dimly lit hallway, slowly guiding her way down the stairs with watchful eyes. Once outside she inhaled the fresh scent left by rainfall, stuffing her hands in her pockets and watching her feet as she trudged to the sloppily parked Jeep only a few yards down. Her fingers fumbled with the key once she was by the car but eventually she managed to stick it into the door and slide into the passenger seat, grimacing at the scent of old coffee that permeated the vehicle.

_'Come on, Quentin.' _She watched the apartment building impatiently, her feet bouncing against the floor while she hummed to herself to try and keep calm. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly, unaware as Dustin walked straight into the front door of the building.


End file.
